Awaken
by Gronzen
Summary: It was time, at last, for him to leave this waking nightmare, and leave others to dream...


**Disclaimer**

 **Bloodborne is owned by FromSoftware**

 **RWBY is owned by Monty Oum/Rooster Teeth**

* * *

 _Summer smiled as her family made their way to her father's home. Ruby had never met their grandfather before, due to his… injury, keeping him homebound. However, they had one of those rare weeks where there weren't any important missions to go on, so now was as good as time as any. She smiled as Taiyang drove past the field of white roses that lead up to his house._

 _"_ _Wow…" Ruby breathed out from her seat, and Summer felt her smile grow as she looked back to see Ruby mushing her face against the window. They came to a stop a short ways from a medium-sized cabin, and as they leave the car they hear raised voices coming from the back. They went quiet a moment later, and as a crow flies over them she looks to her husband, who shrugs. They here a squeaking noise and they turn to see an old man pushing his wheelchair towards them, shaking his head._

 _"_ _Crows. Such intelligent birds, you would think they would know better than to bother an old man." He stops before them, before raising his eyebrow at her, "Well?"_

 _She smiles, and looks down at her daughter, who's hiding behind her cloak. She looks back up at her, and she nods her head towards him. Ruby shyly comes out from behind her, looking him up and down before focusing on his leg._

 _"_ _Are you a piwate?"_

 _He just gives a soft chuckle, "No, merely a Hunter of a-"_

 _Ruby's eyes are like sparkles as she starts asking questions rapidly._

 _"_ _How many Gwimm have you fought? What weapons did you use? Can I see them? Did-"_

 _Summer sighed. She knew Ruby could get a little too excited about anything related to Hunters, and settled in for a long-_

 _She felt her jaw drop as her father merely raised his hand, and Ruby was standing silent in front of him. He chuckled lightly._

 _"_ _You certainly are a born Huntress," Ruby beamed up at him, "I will tell you all you wish to know later, little one. Summer, my dear, would you help me in the kitchen? I would make you all a treat, but…" He gestures towards his peg-leg._

 _"_ _Of course, Dad. Taiyang, why don't you and Ruby play tag in the garden?"_

 _Taiyang gave a resigned smile as Ruby cheered. The two ran off into the backyard as Summer opened the door for her father, and the two set about making a simple meal for the four of them._

* * *

 _"…_ _So, are you staying for the night?" He asks as he dices tomatoes._

 _"_ _No, no, he we'll be heading back home later." She responds, making sure the pot doesn't boil over. Silence reigns a moment, "…Dad, about before… you, never really talk about… what it was like before you met mom…"_

 _He stops dicing, before putting the knife down and wheeling himself to the window. Summer stands beside him._

 _"…_ _She has a good heart, your daughter," He watches as Taiyang drops to his knees, breathing deeply as Ruby cheers, "Much like her mother before her, and much like your mother before you. There is also one other thing you all share…"_

 _Summer feels a pit in her stomach, "…Grey eyes."_

 _He nods._

 _"…_ _You want to train her then?"_

 _"_ _No, no. My time for such things is done. Qrow will teach her what she'll need to know."_

 _"_ _Is that why…"_

 _"_ _Hmm? Oh, no. The drunkard managed to find my spirits."_

 _She snorts, "Figures." She smiles, but it doesn't quite reach her eyes._

 _He grasps her hand and gently squeezes it, "That will all be in the future, Summer. For now, I have a granddaughter to spoil."_

 _She gives a true smile at that. Say what you would, but Pop always was-_

 _"_ _Also, please don't burn my home down."_

 _She looks back towards the stove, and then begins frantically looking for an extinguisher as the old man chuckles in the background…_

* * *

 _He smiles as he flips through the photo album, and he closes it gently. Ruby was off at Sginal now, Yang soon to be joining Beacon. He wished he could be there to see them graduate._

 _But this was the final night he would be blessed with this tragically long life._

 _Still smiling, he wheeled himself to his backyard and looked up the broken moon. He feels no small bit of satisfaction, and looks past the glowing field of flowers to the forest._

 _"_ _It would appear the beasts are out in full force."_

 _Three figures make their way towards him, stopping a few steps away. Their leader looks at him like a cautious predator, as the only male scoffs._

 _"_ _ **This**_ _is the guy you're so worried about? He's already got a foot in the grave-"_

 _"_ _And you have two." He didn't lose his smile at the boy's growl. He knew_ _ **damn well**_ _how someone missing their leg moved._

 _"…_ _You are Gehrman. The first hunter." Their leader doesn't ask, but states, and he nods slightly._

 _"_ _Aye, and I know what shadow whispered in your ear that you would know me."_

 _"_ _Then you know why we're here." Her eyes glow a bit brighter, and her followers take notice of the way her stance changes. The caution, the hint of fear, and they realize_ _ **whom**_ _they're dealing with. He looks up to the moon, and softly chuckles as he stands._

 _"_ _I suppose I should be thankful for these gifts. A wondrous moon to hunt by, and worthy beasts to die from…" He pulls a curved blade from his side, and he attaches it to the device on his back. It unfolds, and he catches the handle._

 _"_ _Tonight, Gehrman joins the hunt…"_

* * *

Qrow stares at the police report. House torched, the flower field covered in blood, two fake legs found with two broken weapons. He takes a swig from his flask, and then stares at it.

"…Rest in peace, old man. You're nightmare finally ends." He pours his flask out, and tucks it away. He pulls out a small, almost tooth-like medallion.

"…You knew, didn't you? Clever old bastard. Don't worry. I'll make sure this ends, either at me, or at **_her_**." He wraps the medallion's string around his wrist before taking off. He would have to teach Ruby the more advanced stuff later. For now?

He had hunting to do.

* * *

 **AN: I wrote this with the crescent moon outside my window and a cover of Gehrman's theme playing. IT WAS AMAZING. Basically, headcanon is: Gehrman in this timeline was basically Ozpin and Qrow's predecessor and mentor, teaching Qrow about scythe combat and the two of them about Salem. He lost both his leg and wife, Briar Rose, to Salem around age 25. She allowed him to live, but is forced to retire because of his leg, hence being 'blessed with a tragically long life', given he would be forced to live with his failure to save her until he died. Still, his daughter was alive and well, and that was enough for him…**

 **He went through the motions of life until the ending. He was already at Death's doorstep, he's done all he can to prepare Ozpin and Qrow, and so, he fights Cinder and her team to a standstill. Cinder's forced to use the power from the Fall Maiden to finally put him down, and her team limps away to heal. His last words?**

 **"** ** _The night, and the dream, were long… But soon, the sun shall rise, and we'll all be free…of this accursed nightmare…"_**


End file.
